Following the Money: Unraveling the Concepts of 'Keren' and 'Khamesh'

In several cases, the Torah requires a sinner to pay both keren and khamesh, that is, the amount he damaged plus an additional fifth. For example, in cases of misappropriation of sacred items or swearing falsely over money, if the amount in question is one thousand shekels, he must pay one thousand two hundred, as the Torah states, "and he shall add a fifth unto it."

We all understand what "khamesh" means. But what exactly is "keren"? Cows have horns, but why is the net amount (even in modern Hebrew) referred to as keren? This expression is found in the Mishnah: "These are the things that a person enjoys the fruits of in this world while the keren is reserved for him in the world to come: honoring father and mother, acts of kindness, and bringing peace between people."

One explanation is that money was stored in a vessel shaped like a shofar, as the Mishnah in Tractate Shekalim describes: "As there were shofars in the Temple, there were shofars in the provinces," likely named for its shape of a narrow opening at the top and a wide base. This was essentially a savings box where one could deposit money, but it was difficult to withdraw funds without "breaking" the savings. It might even have been designed like an animal horn for aesthetic purposes.

Another intriguing phrase still used today originates from the Mishnah: "He placed his money on the deer's antlers." This means he's risking his funds. But what's the connection to a deer's antlers? The Tosafot Yom Tov explains: "As the deer is swift to run, similar to the teaching in chapter five of Avot, run like a deer; in this way, one who places his money on a deer's antlers is likely to lose it, for the deer runs swiftly and one cannot catch it. I've heard the deer has a habit of shedding its antlers at certain times and might lose them in valleys or pits where they can't be found." However, this explanation is difficult; why would someone put their money on an animal's antlers at all as a form of safe-keeping?

Some interpreted that money was placed inside an animal's horn, but a deer's horn is hollow, and the money would fall out. It's hard to provide meaning to such a strange idea, as there's no source indicating that anyone placed money inside a living horn, and clearly, no one would put money inside a hollow tube.

A fascinating interpretation is explained according to what the Ramban writes about the verse "Naphtali is a deer let loose": there was an ancient custom among kings to send messages tied to deer antlers. They'd take a deer born in the north, transport it to the south, and when released with a message attached to its antler, the deer would naturally migrate back north, where the message was retrieved, much like carrier pigeons. According to this, the phrase's meaning could be that even if messages are sent on a deer's antlers, it's unwise to send money this way as the shipment might be lost or misplaced.